After Labyrinth
by Daydream Believer2
Summary: This story takes place after Sarah and Toby leave the Labyrinth. Sarah, suffering rejection by those she loves, subconsciously remembers the love Jareth had for her. He rescues her from a life of heartache and takes her to her true home. Please, read and
1. Chapter the First

Of my inspired tales this is but the first, and most certainly not the last. If this account thy fancy snare- before a fortnight pass- thine admiration do utter by virtue of critique, else this myth should find, alas, that it by time be made consummate, and it by time effaced. ____________________________________________________________________________  
  
When I came out of the goblin city I had no memory of what had happened. Sometimes fuzzy images would come to my mind, as if from a vague dream. I occasionally would speak of the images to little Toby, but he thought I was trying to frighten him. Finally, I gave up trying to find someone who would understand.  
  
Our senior prom was like a masquerade ball; I went alone. While I was there, though, the masks jarred something in my memory. All I could see were goblins- goblins everywhere. When my best (and only) friend approached me I did not see his face; I saw Jareth, the goblin King.  
  
That night I ran, screaming, from the school gymnasium. By the time Taylor found me I was by the river crying for all I was worth. I told him what I could remember. Monday, at school, Taylor and the principal insisted that I visit a psychiatrist.  
  
A short time later I was diagnosed as being 'mentally unstable'. Only two months later, depression followed. Colleges found out about my state and turned down my applications.  
  
One night as I slept I had a dream. The pale-haired, blue-eyed goblin king was in my mind. He told me that I wasn't crazy, that the goblin masquerade had indeed happened and that the reason little Toby was frightened was because he remembered. Jareth showed me the crystals and offered me my dreams. I refused; I lost consciousness.  
  
In the goblin kingdom beings are ageless. Time is not regular, as in our world. Depending on a person's will it may flow faster or slower. Each individual may have a different time, and yet that time somehow coincides with the time of every other individual around him or her.  
  
When I awoke I knew by intuition that years had passed in the realm of humans. I, however, remained unchanged. Jareth had set time so that I might never age, as he had not aged. His mastery over time had made him immortal; I knew deep down that he planned to do the same to me. All this I knew in the first second of my awakening.  
  
Jareth was there to greet me. He remained the same as the night I first met him, in my father and stepmother's room. The only difference was his eyes. Those eyes, which had once been so cruel and so cold, now watched me as gently as a mother watching her child sleeping.  
  
"Sarah," he said gently, "long have I waited to see your eyes again."  
  
I moved away from him. "Who are you?" I asked in fear and anger.  
  
"You know who I am," he replied, his eyes dancing with laughter. He was so obviously amused by me.  
  
I sat down. "What do you want with me? Why am I here?" I demanded. He only laughed.  
  
"I've given you your dream."  
  
"My dream? What do you know about my dreams?"  
  
"Your heart called to me. Your heart was ready to accept me- that's why you remembered."  
  
I shook my head. He moved towards me and took my hands.  
  
"Sarah, I can give you anything." His eyes searched mine pleadingly. I shook my head.  
  
"I can't. I have to go home to Toby-"  
  
"He's a man now."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Years have passed. He's grown."  
  
I shook my head. "No! No! Why have you brought me here?" I asked. I was growing frantic. All of my earlier knowledge fled me. I was afraid.  
  
Jareth laughed that rich, melodic laugh he had. "This kingdom has not seen a queen in more of your years than can be counted. I must have an heir, Sarah, and you took Toby away from me. I would have had you for my queen, and raised Toby with you, but you'd hear none of it."  
  
As he spoke, a voice from nowhere began. Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here, to the castle beyond the goblin city, to take back the child you have stolen. My will is as strong as yours; my kingdom is as great-  
  
"You have no power over me!" I whispered in remembrance. Jareth nodded.  
  
"You broke my heart then, girl, but I realized that you were too young to understand love. I gave you back to your world for a time, so your heart could learn. When your heart understood love it remembered my love for you and called me to it."  
  
"I didn't call you!" I screamed. Tears came to my eyes. They flooded out over my cheeks and I buried my face in my hands.  
  
Jareth was remorseful as soon as he saw my tears. He held me close, whispering apologies and sweet nothings to me. I realized I was too tired to fight him. When I collapsed to the ground I felt the goblin King lift me in his arms and carry me back to his castle. 


	2. Chapter the Second

Thanks to Dawn, BatBLady, Palla, and Kalinda for their reviews. I really appreciate the support. Yeah, I've been working on this story for about a year and a half now, and I finally got up the nerve to post it piece by piece. ___________________________________________________________________________  
  
I don't know how long I slept. I awoke several times and each time Jareth was there with some sort of gift for me. Hoggle was there to feed me; those are all I can recall.  
  
I dreamed often in that long sleep. My dreams were often plagued by my quest to save Toby; other times I would dream of Jareth and all the possibilities of our future together.  
  
Once I awoke to hear a voice calling my name. I sat up in my bed. No one was in my room but Jareth, who was playing with his crystals. Minutes passed, and I heard my name again. I knew the voice, and yet I had never heard it before.  
  
"Jareth, who is calling my name?" I asked. Jareth looked up and smiled.  
  
"Why, Sarah! That's the first time you've ever called my by my name. Don't you know the voice of your brother?"  
  
"Toby!" I shrieked.  
  
Jareth laughed. "Yes, Toby. He called on the goblin King to take him away from a terrible date. He used the same words you used so long ago to summon me."  
  
"Why is he calling for me?"  
  
Jareth came to sit beside me. "He can feel your presence. He has the Sixth Sense."  
  
I sighed. I had known when Toby was a baby that he had the Sixth Sense. I laid back and asked, "Is he looking for me?"  
  
"He has been for years. Your community gave up but when Toby was old enough to understand he took up the search. You always knew you'd come back here."  
  
I nodded. I'd had a feeling since I brought Toby from the Labyrinth that some day I'd return to a place I hated, though I didn't know where or why.  
  
Jareth stood suddenly. "Get dressed, love, and we'll pay little Toby a visit."  
  
Looking back I think I was under his enchantment. Jareth left long enough for me to get dressed. Then, we were standing before a tall, dark-haired young man. I could see my stepmother in him. I knew it was Toby.  
  
His eyes grew large when he saw me. "Sarah? Is that you? What're you doing here?"  
  
Jareth laughed. "Is that any way to speak to your sister?"  
  
I took Toby's hand. "Get out of here! Get out now!"  
  
Toby kissed my cheek. "I won't leave without you. They think you killed yourself."  
  
"Jareth took me. Go!"  
  
I could hear Jareth's laugh. His amusement was infuriating, especially in my frustration with Toby. "Isn't this a touching reunion? Toby, what do you think of your sister?"  
  
Toby turned to him. After murmuring something about my being beautiful, he said, "Let her go. Let me take her home."  
  
"She is home. This is where she belongs. She never belonged in the human world."  
  
"It's all she's ever known."  
  
"Toby, you know she was born to be my queen. That's what she was intended for." Jareth looked at me with an odd look in his eyes. I couldn't read the emotion they held and it frightened me.  
  
Toby flinched when Jareth put his arm around me. I knew better than to try to get away, so I let Toby argue for me.  
  
"Give her back to me," Toby demanded, his voice deep and low.  
  
Jareth began to laugh again. I realized then that I liked and thoroughly enjoyed hearing him laugh. "Toby, you have the Second Sight. Tell me what you see when you search my heart."  
  
Toby sighed and closed his eyes. "I know you love her, and I know you'll take good care of her. But you've had her for so long and I never got to know her. If you want an heir I'll stay and learn what I need to know-"  
  
Jareth shook his head. "I need her here, Toby. I swear she'll never want for anything. I love her."  
  
Toby had tears in his eyes. "Fine. If you want her to marry you, then ask her. She's the one who should decide."  
  
They turned to me. Tears filled my eyes as they watched me, pleading with me silently. I went to Toby and threw my arms around him. "Toby, I didn't fit in there. My mother didn't fit in, I don't fit in, but you do. You can make a life for yourself there, if you haven't already. And if I did go back, what would I have? How would I explain to them where I've been and why I haven't aged?"  
  
Toby held me tightly, crying into my hair. He was tall, like his father, a man my family had once known. He had dark hair and eyes; he looked like the prince I'd always dreamed would come and carry me away. I looked back at Jareth. He was blonde with beautiful blue eyes, which were now staring at me sadly. So he isn't trying to control my mind, I thought. I remembered again how I had saved Toby. The words came to mind again but I pushed them away.  
  
"Toby, I have to stay."  
  
"But Sarah," he argued. He paused for a moment before continuing, "Sarah, he's using his magic to control your mind."  
  
I stared up at my brother, as I suddenly understood the significance of the words I'd spoken so long ago. I knew I had to tell him.  
  
"Toby, do you remember? 'Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here, to the castle beyond the goblin city, to take back the child you have stolen. My will is as strong as yours; my kingdom is as great. You have no power over me.' He took away my mental innocence- the child within me that gave me my ability to hide in my fantasy world. While I am in his kingdom I can take back the 'child' he stole. I match him in the strength of wills, and the kingdom of my mind and imagination is as great and powerful as his. He has no power over me and because of that I can hurt him badly. I don't want to hurt him."  
  
Jareth slipped his arm around me as Toby let me go. He whispered, "When you first said those words you didn't understand. I can't control you- I couldn't then- and if you wanted to leave I couldn't stop you. It broke my heart to watch you go. You could have destroyed me and my kingdom had you the desire. Finally I brought you here again. You're older now than when you came for Toby. You understand now. You're the only person I am unable to control." Jareth kissed me gently on the forehead. Toby sighed.  
  
"I suppose this is goodbye, Sarah."  
  
He was about to ask Jareth to send him home when I shrieked, "Stop!"  
  
I willed a crystal ball to come to me. I gave it to Toby and told him, "Anytime you wish to see me just look into this crystal. It will only work for you and if you try to misuse it is will cease to function. Anytime you want to be near me just call me and I'll be there." I hugged Toby and kissed his cheek. He kissed me once, as my brother, and Jareth sent him home. ____________________________________________________________________________  
  
Like I said last time, if you want this story to stay up please let me know it's being read. Even if your comments lean towards constructive criticism, I appreciate them. They let me know someone's reading my stuff. I'll update again soon! 


	3. Chapter the Third

I always knew when Toby was watching me, but he never called. Jareth and I lived happily- I had even grown to love the goblin King- but I missed my little Toby. I'd gone through so much for him once; I didn't want to lose the little boy who had grown so dear to me.  
  
One night as I lay in bed awake Jareth rolled over to face me. "Sarah, what's wrong? You usually go to sleep quickly."  
  
I sighed as he kissed me. "Toby hasn't contacted me. I'm afraid I angered him."  
  
"What does it matter if he's angry? I can make you happy here. Nothing that has to do with him matters in this world." Jareth held me close. I knew he was right; if I let him he could make me forget everything that had ever happened to me before. I buried my face against him.  
  
"I don't want to forget- not yet. I love being here. I won't go back to the human world to stay, I promise. I just wish I knew what is going on with Toby."  
  
"In the morning I'll see what I can do," he whispered, drifting off to sleep. It was hours before I fell asleep. ___________________________________________________________________________  
  
More time passed. I let Jareth into my mind; he soothed the painful memories I had. I didn't forget, but I no longer felt the pain. I chose to let Toby slip away into the part of my mind where all of my old fantasies had gone.  
  
I still didn't hear from my brother, but I didn't let it bother me. Then, one day, came the call.  
  
I was the equivalent of five months pregnant with my son. Jareth had changed so far from the man I first met that I could hardly believe he was the same person. He was excited about his son; I think he was more excited than I was.  
  
I was sitting in the garden when I heard him calling me. I asked Didymus to bring Jareth to me; my husband was by my side in an instant.  
  
"Sarah, what's wrong? Is it the baby?" he asked frantically. I shook my head.  
  
"Toby needs me. Help me go to him."  
  
Jareth took my hands. "Do you know what's wrong?"  
  
"No, but I have to go to him." I stood. I was obviously pregnant; my bulk was already enough to require new clothes. Hoggle had lovingly stitched my gowns for me; it was over one such gown Jareth laid his hand to feel the baby.  
  
"You'll let me go with you, won't you?" he asked. When I nodded he said, "Dress warm. It's cold this time of year."  
  
We went back to the castle and I put on my coat and cloak. Then, we left for the human world. ___________________________________________________________________________  
  
We found Toby in a hospital corridor, staring in the nursery window at a baby. I put my hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Toby, what happened?" He turned to me with tears streaming down his cheeks.  
  
"She died. She died having our daughter. They say the baby might have problems too, after all she and her mama went through." I peered in the window at the baby he showed me. She was small and frail; my heart went out to her.  
  
As we stood there a doctor came. "Son," he said, "you should go on home now. I'm on duty tonight. I'll call you if anything happens."  
  
Toby nodded. I took his hand and we went down to his car. ___________________________________________________________________________  
  
On the way to Toby's home he explained to me what had happened. He had married his college sweetheart and three years later they learned of their child. They also learned of an illness she had, which would endanger her life if she chose to have the baby. She wanted her baby and died giving the little girl life. As Toby told me this I felt Jareth's arm tighten around me; I knew Toby's sad tale had brought fear to my husband.  
  
We got out at Toby's home- a charming house very similar to the one we'd grown up in. He tried to take my coat from me but I refused. He insisted, so Jareth made me give him my heavy woolen outer garments. When Toby turned back to me he saw my bulge and sighed.  
  
"Oh, Sarah. I've caused you a hardship-"  
  
I hugged Toby. "Helping you is never a hardship."  
  
He smiled weakly. "How far are you?"  
  
I kissed his cheek. "Five months, I think. Time runs differently there, so I'm not sure exactly."  
  
Toby looked me over. "I missed you. I wanted to invite you to my wedding but I didn't really know how."  
  
I sat down beside Jareth. "Toby, is there anything I can do for you?"  
  
"No. I just needed you nearby. Thank you for coming. You too, Jareth."  
  
Jareth nodded and held me close to his side protectively. I knew him well enough to know he was afraid that Toby would try to make me stay. Using telepathy, a kind of 'magic' I was learning, I told Jareth I wouldn't leave him. I still hadn't figured out why he was so afraid of my leaving him; later I learned that his mother left his father and it had caused in him great insecurity.  
  
Toby seemed focused on the baby. He started firing questions. "Do you hope for a boy or a girl?"  
  
I shrugged and waited for Jareth to answer. He said softly, "We'd gladly take either but for the purpose of the kingdom I think a boy would be better."  
  
"What will you do about schooling?"  
  
Jareth laughed. "Don't you think that in a goblin kingdom there'd be someone who can and would teach my child? If there isn't, or if he or she doesn't do an acceptable job, I can send for someone from one of the neighboring kingdoms."  
  
Toby smiled. "How many do you plan to have?" he asked. I knew immediately what my answer was.  
  
"I want as many as I can have," I answered quickly. Jareth looked startled; I decided to talk to him later about it.  
  
That night as we lay in the guest room Jareth asked me, "Did you really mean what you said earlier?"  
  
"What?" I asked, groggy and confused. He sighed.  
  
"Did you mean what you said about having babies?"  
  
"Of course I meant it," I whispered, kissing him, "What makes you think that I didn't?"  
  
Jareth arranged himself so that I could lay with my head on his shoulder. "I was afraid you found me repulsive and that you only slept with me out of duty. I was afraid you stayed with me out of pity."  
  
I propped myself up on one elbow. I played with his hair, which was much tamer than when I'd met him. It was yet another of the changes I felt he'd made for my sake. "Jareth, I love you. When I came to be with you I didn't think I could ever love you, but I do. I'll love you for the rest of my life, however long that may be."  
  
Jareth sighed as he stroked my cheek. "Sometimes I wish I had never bothered you. Sometimes I think I should have left you with your family, and let you grow up like a normal girl."  
  
"I'm glad you didn't."  
  
"Are you, really?" he asked me. My eyes filled with tears.  
  
"Of course," I replied. Jareth made me lay back down. In a few minutes he spoke to me again.  
  
"My mother wasn't glad. She loved my father but she was never truly happy."  
  
I found his hand and held it tight as I asked, "Why did you choose me?"  
  
Jareth laughed. "I never told you?"  
  
"No. You told me you couldn't control me, but you never told me why you wanted me instead of some mush-brained girl."  
  
He kissed me. "Sarah, my love. You were born to be my wife. I chose you the way my father chose my mother and the way the first king chose his queen. One woman is born for every king. That woman is the only one the king cannot control."  
  
"What if she won't accept him?" I asked.  
  
Jareth smiled. "Then that woman's daughter will be the queen."  
  
"Has that ever happened to anyone?"  
  
Jareth held me close and whispered in my ear, "My darling, it happened to me."  
  
I sat up and stared at him. "You're kidding."  
  
"I am not. I was supposed to have married your mother."  
  
I couldn't keep from bursting into tears. "Jareth, I'm so sorry! I had no idea!"  
  
He pulled me down beside him and crushed me to his chest. "Shh. Don't cry, sweetheart. She didn't hurt me the way you did that first time. She was beautiful but you stole my heart."  
  
I continued to cry. "I worshipped the ground she walked on and here I find out that she hurt not only me and my father but she hurt the man I love!"  
  
Jareth tried to soothe me. "Calm down. It was meant to happen the way it did. Just think- if your mother had married me you'd be my daughter and not my beautiful wife."  
  
I still had tears on my cheeks but at that thought I began to laugh. "That would be odd, wouldn't it?" I rubbed my belly and said, "I'm glad we have this little one."  
  
"Our little boy."  
  
"Why are you so sure it's a boy?" I asked, wiping away the rest of my tears. Jareth patted my belly and took my hand.  
  
"A goblin king's first child is always a son. It's a family trait. Anyway, it's obvious from the way you're carrying. Even old Hogwart noticed."  
  
I playfully punched Jareth's arm. "You know Hoggle hates to be teased about his name."  
  
"I know, love. I just like to irritate you. So, how do you feel?"  
  
I sighed. "After being able to control time for so long I can feel my body dying around me. Everything moved so much slower at home."  
  
"That's why I don't come here often. I don't like how it feels."  
  
"At home, even though we're surrounded by goblins, it is peaceful. I can feel the hate and discord here. It makes me feel sick."  
  
"What about the baby?"  
  
"I can almost feel him grow. It is an amazing feeling, and yet I can feel him dying too. It seems a waste to me that as soon as one is conceived they are already dying."  
  
"I know what you mean."  
  
"Can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Where is your mother now? Whatever happened to her?"  
  
Jareth squeezed my hand. "She lived for a long time in one of the neighboring kingdoms. Only recently she came back to the human world. She was still young enough to marry and have children so I don't know what she finally did."  
  
"Do you know where my mother is?"  
  
"Yes, I do. Sarah, do you know why she left?"  
  
"No."  
  
"She left because she knew she would lose you. Once she refused me she came back to the human world and married your father. At the moment you were born she lost her ability to resist me. I could control her, but why would I want to? She remembered nothing of the Labyrinth or my kingdom but she knew by instinct what was going to happen with you. She knew instinctively that you had a great cause. She felt that she would someday lose you and she couldn't bear it. So, she left. It wasn't because she didn't love you and your father. It was because she loved you too much. I would want you to see her again if it ever became possible. Would you like that?"  
  
I had to nod. I hadn't seen my mother in so long that I would have forgotten what she looked like were it not for the newspapers that always had pictures of her performances. She was an actress and dancer and singer for a play company.  
  
Jareth smiled. "Good. Now, why don't you try to sleep? You sound groggy already."  
  
I kissed him. "Goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight to you too, my love." ___________________________________________________________________________  
  
Sorry this installment is so long. It had to be, for all my chapters to work out right. I wrote it originally without chapters.  
  
Thanks to all of you beautiful people who have been reviewing. I appreciate your time and thoughts as you read my story. I'll reply to everyone next time, I think.  
  
Thanks, y'all. Please, keep reading and reviewing. Even if you've already reviewed once, review again! I won't mind! 


	4. Chapter the Fourth

Thank you to everyone who reviewed in my long absence. I won't name EVERYONE, because there's so many, but thanks to each and every one of you. I noticed many of you asked questions about the story, but most of the questions seemed to have answered themselves as you read on. If you still have questions, let me know, and I'll try to answer them. For Diashi- I just decided where it was going. Actually, if it continues to go that way there will probably be a sequel. For Solea- Do I need to slow it down some? Is it going too fast? For MagRowan- Thanks for the tidbit of info. I went back and fixed it. Thanks much! Again, thanks to all. If the story seems to be going too fast, or gets confusing again, let me know. I'll see what I can do. Until next time. ____________________________________________________________________________  
  
We did not leave Toby as I had thought we would. Jareth would go home sometimes to get things we needed but we did not go home for long stretches at a time. Toby's little girl, a beautiful child who had blonde locks that reminded me of her father's infancy, came home and began to live a normal life. I pitied the child for not having a mother because I knew what it was like.  
  
Toby named his daughter Christine, which I thought was a lovely name. Little Kitty stole my heart, as well as my husband's.  
  
The months dragged by for me. My belly grew with my child and I quickly became miserable. I wanted to go home to my castle and my friends and those who were now my people, but as long as Jareth stayed I had to stay. He felt terrible for me but we couldn't leave Toby and his little one yet. They still needed us, and the longer I was in the human world the faster my pregnancy would go. At the time I did not realize that my pregnancy moved faster in human time; now I am thankful for what he did.  
  
I was in my eighth month when one day Toby came home acting excited. He and Jareth were obviously planning something but I could not figure out what it was. Jareth took me back to the goblin kingdom long enough to get one of my finest gowns and to ready myself for some big event. He wouldn't tell me what was going on but I knew it would be something grand.  
  
We got back to Toby only moments after we left. Jareth has re-ordered time again I thought. Jareth picked up on my thought and grinned at me like the mischievous little boy who was plotting something against the neighborhood girls. Whatever it was I knew I was in for a treat; my husband had never gone into so much trouble to surprise me with something.  
  
Toby loaded Jareth, Kitty, and me into his car. We stopped at a baby- sitter's house on the way to the mysterious somewhere, and left Kitty with the young woman. We were then on our way again.  
  
We rode for almost two hours. We arrived in one of the state's biggest cities, and in turn at one of the state's largest and most prestigious theaters. We went inside and viewed the production, which was magnificent but it's name, due to the course of time, I do not remember.  
  
I expected to leave afterwards but we did not. Toby and Jareth took me backstage to the dressing rooms, where they began asking after a woman I knew.  
  
"May we see Linda Williams, please?" Toby asked. When one of the actors refused and threatened to call security, Toby argued, "This woman is Mrs. Williams' daughter. She has an appointment to see Mrs. Williams. Please, be kind to her and go get Mrs. Williams."  
  
The actor obeyed and I hugged my brother and Jareth. "Oh, thank you! You've gone through so much trouble-"  
  
"Not so much trouble as you've gone through for me, Sis. Just calm yourself or you'll be having a baby right here backstage."  
  
I laughed and waited with them. After a while a woman with long dark hair, very much like mine, approached us. "Are you the Williams party?" She stared at me and asked, "Sarah?"  
  
I nodded. She threw her arms around me and hugged me as tight as she dared. "Oh, Sarah. You're beautiful. Who are these two?"  
  
"This is my stepbrother, Toby, and my husband Jareth."  
  
She shook her head when she saw Jareth. "You're him! You're the one who-"  
  
"Please, not here, not now," Jareth pleaded. I agreed.  
  
"I know the story, and I'll talk to you about it some other time. Now isn't that time. Tell me, how are you?"  
  
"I'm wonderful. I've been curious about you but I didn't dare call, for fear your father would be angry. I'd heard that you'd disappeared, though..."  
  
"That ties in with the other."  
  
"Oh. Come on. I know a great restaurant where we can talk."  
  
We went with my mother. She took us to a little Italian place where they served all-you-can-eat lasagna, which Jareth and I were thankful for. My baby took a lot out of me and I was starving.  
  
"Sarah, how far are you?"  
  
"I'm eight months now. I'm miserable but I think it will be worth all the suffering when the baby gets here."  
  
"Is it a boy or a girl?"  
  
"A boy, or so we think. All of the firstborns on Jareth's side are boys."  
  
"Can I ask you about that now?" she asked me. I nodded.  
  
"Sarah, why did you marry him? Why not someone else?"  
  
"I never fit in. I never understood why, until I met Jareth. He explained everything to me, like I imagine he did to you, and I knew what I was meant for. As to when I disappeared, that was when he took me to his kingdom. According to everyone, I'm still 'disappeared'. They don't know I'm back."  
  
"How long are you here for?"  
  
Jareth answered for me. "Until the baby's born. Time passes terribly slowly at home and I couldn't bear to see her in so much misery for so long."  
  
Mama reached across the table to take my hand. "I have to have your beauty secrets, sweetheart. You should be over thirty now, and you don't look a day over nineteen."  
  
"Eighteen and a half, actually. Jareth took me home just after school got out."  
  
"You've been there all this time?"  
  
"Sure. It's a good thing, too."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Check my medical records, mental health in particular. I wasn't crazy; it's just that no one would believe me. Did you experience the Masquerade Ball?"  
  
"No."  
  
"When we go home we'll have to take you. The goblins really know how to throw a dance."  
  
Mama laughed and sighed. "I always dreamed of seeing you like this, happy and beautiful. I always wanted to see you while you're pregnant, and after you become a mother."  
  
Jareth smiled at her. "If you'd like you can see much more of her. I was going to offer to take you home with us when you finish your tour. By then the baby should be here and we should be planning to go home."  
  
"I don't think I could handle being there all the time. It's so dreary."  
  
I was shocked. "Mama, it's changed so much. Jareth has changed so many things for me. I mean, look at his hair!"  
  
Mama stroked my hand. "Hon, is it that the Goblin Kingdom has changed, or is it that you have changed?"  
  
I didn't know what to say. I knew that I had changed, because before I could never have carried Jareth's child with as much love as what I felt. Still, though, I felt that the kingdom had been changed. Even now I do not know which had changed more.  
  
We all finished our meals and walked out to our cars. Before I could go Mama caught my arm. "Sarah, where are you living right now?"  
  
"We're with Toby."  
  
"Would you mind if I came to see you?"  
  
"Not at all. Actually, I was hoping you'd come see the baby when he's born."  
  
"That would be wonderful. You know, the tour is almost over- we only have a few shows left. If the baby hasn't come by the time the tour ends I'll come stay in a hotel nearby. I can't believe my baby is having a baby."  
  
We hugged and Mama kissed me. "Bye, Mama. See you soon?" I whispered. She smiled and nodded. Jareth took me by the arm and helped me into the car. ____________________________________________________________________________  
  
My baby came two weeks later. He surprised us- my pains first began in the middle of dinner one Friday night. Toby took me to bed and called for Jareth, who had gone home for a while to get some things. Jareth was immediately by my side, asking what was wrong. Toby explained to him what had happened; Jareth began to panic.  
  
"What do I do? Do I take her home? Do I take her to a hospital? Do I-"  
  
"Jareth, this is a goblin prince, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"Maybe you should take her home."  
  
Jareth nodded and began again, "Home, home, how to get home-"  
  
"How many can you take with you at a time?"  
  
"As many as I need to," my husband replied. Despite my pain, Jareth amazed me. Just a few short years before he had taken my brother away from me, held him just out of my reach, and laughed as I reached blindly for the infant Toby. Jareth, who seemingly received so much pleasure out of my misery, was now in a mad panic over whom to take home with us. Finally, he grabbed me in his arms, closed his eyes, and we were all home.  
  
Jareth had barely had time to lay me on our bed before I heard my mother's cries. "Sarah! Sarah, where are you?"  
  
Jareth gave a flick of his wrist and my mother stood in the room with Jareth, Toby, Kitty, and myself. She rushed to my side. "Oh, my baby, are you okay?"  
  
"Do I look okay to any of you?" I shrieked. I looked at Jareth. "Get Hoggle or the Wise Man or Didymus or ANYONE!"  
  
Jareth gave another flick of his wrist and all three stood before him. "Do any of you know anything at all about babies?" he asked. Didymus merely shook his head; Hoggle grinned.  
  
"They're soft and ugly and so wonderful," Hoggle said. Jareth rolled his eyes and turned to the Wise Man.  
  
"Do you know anything?" A shake of the head answered him. Jareth sighed.  
  
"Do any of you know anyone who would know?"  
  
Hoggle chuckled. "Go get Trizzle. She knows something about goblin babies."  
  
Jareth flicked his wrist yet again. Hoggle, Didymus, and the Wise Man were gone, and a single goblin woman stood in their place. She took one look at me and shooed my mother and Toby out with Kitty.  
  
"A baby, have we?" she asked. Jareth nodded.  
  
"My baby," he replied. Something in the way he said it made me think my heart would burst with pride.  
  
The woman looked at me, felt of my belly, and gave me a quick examination.  
  
"Ah, this baby is slow coming. I have plenty of time to gather my things. If you would blink me back, Sire, I'll gather my supplies."  
  
Jareth sent the woman back and sat at my side. He held my hand in his, watching my face twist in the agony of each contraction. He spoke to me finally.  
  
"Oh, sweetheart. I hope it is not too painful. I'm so sorry."  
  
I only bit my lip to keep from crying out. He kissed me on top of my head. "Do you need me to use my power to take some of your pain?" he asked. I shook my head. I closed my eyes against the tears that were forming in them. Jareth had a look of agony on his face. Then, my pain eased.  
  
"Jareth, I told you not to take any of the pain," I whispered. He smiled at me sadly.  
  
"I couldn't bear to see you like that," he replied. Another contraction came and Jareth grimaced. When he moaned I began to cry.  
  
"Jareth, give it back! You weren't meant to have this pain."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Give it back!"  
  
Jareth released my pain back to me and I could hardly contain the scream that fought to escape me. The little woman came back and nearly laughed at me.  
  
"A nasty goblin woman wouldn't be in that much pain," she said to Jareth. I supposed she was saying to him that he should have married one of his own kind, and the comment filled me with anger. I sat up as best as I could.  
  
"Take that back, you old hag!" I screeched at her. She only laughed.  
  
"Why, thank you. You're not looking to good yourself," she replied.  
  
Jareth leaned down to whisper in my ear, "She just complimented you. To her kind, the nastier and more ugly, the better. To be ugly in her family is like being beautiful in yours."  
  
I could only moan. He kissed me. "It'll all be over before too long, love. Be strong."  
  
Hours passed; nothing happened, except that my pain got worse. The hag ignored me, except for her occasional examinations of my progress. Finally the hag left for a while and I said to Jareth, "Get rid of her. Find someone who knows what they're doing or I'm going to strangle the hag next time she gets within my reach. She has done me no good."  
  
Jareth couldn't contain his chuckle. "Darling, I might be gone for a few minutes, but I'll be back. I'm getting my mother. She was a midwife for a while when she lived here."  
  
I closed my eyes and grit my teeth through another pain. When I opened my eyes Jareth was gone.  
  
Toby stuck his head in the door. When he realized the old woman wasn't in there, he came inside.  
  
"Hi, sis. How do you feel?" he asked softly.  
  
"You really don't want to know," I replied. He brushed my hair away from my face.  
  
"Where's Jareth?"  
  
"He went to get his mother. She was a midwife and the hag has done me no good at all."  
  
"I asked your mother why it was taking so long. Shouldn't it be over already?"  
  
"Some labors take a long time, but I don't think it's supposed to hurt this much. Toby, I want to die."  
  
"Don't say that."  
  
"But it's the truth. I can't die here and yet I have an overwhelming desire to kill myself to end this pain."  
  
Toby squeezed my hand. "Stop that nonsense. I'll wait with you until Jareth gets back."  
  
I didn't say anything else in the hour it took for Jareth to return. I simply wished Toby would realize just how serious I was. ____________________________________________________________________________ 


	5. Chapter the Fifth

Jareth arrived in the room just in time to hear my mother screaming at the midwife.  
  
"You help her or I will personally dig your grave and put you in it-" she was saying, chasing the midwife back into the bedroom where I was. Jareth quickly waved the woman away and introduced me to his mother.  
  
"Mother, this is my wife, Sarah. Sarah, this is my mother, Darya."  
  
I tried to smile but I couldn't. Jareth moaned. "Oh, darling. I'm so sorry."  
  
I closed my eyes. Darya reached for my hand. "Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise. "I forgot I had that gift. When I'm in the goblin realm and I feel bad for someone I can actually feel their pain," she explained. "You poor thing. You're in so much pain, and you're terrified to boot." She turned to Jareth. "What happened to her?" she asked.  
  
Jareth shrugged. "I don't know. We were in the human world when it started. I brought her here so she could have the baby in his own world. I had no idea who to call on as a midwife, so I asked around a little. Trizzle was the only one anyone knew. Sarah's pains only got worse and Trizzle just sat staring at her for the longest time and I'm getting scared," Jareth added the last part softly. Darya sighed.  
  
"Don't worry, sweethearts. Your baby will be here before long. Jareth, are you going to stay in here or leave?"  
  
"I'm staying."  
  
"And you?" Darya asked, turning to Toby.  
  
Toby kissed my forehead and said, "I'm leaving."  
  
As soon as Toby was gone Darya began to look me over. She asked me all sorts of things, but I couldn't answer most of the questions. I found out from Jareth that it had been several human days since I had first gone into labor. While in the goblin world not enough time had passed for the others to even feel, I had been in labor for the equivalent of four human days and felt every moment of it in pain.  
  
Under Darya's care my body began to relax and let nature take its course. My pain was still unbearable, but with Darya's soft voice coaxing me and Jareth's cool hand on my brow I somehow got through it. As time got closer, Darya went to work. She kept telling me that I was doing good, and to push when she told me to. Finally I heard my son's first cry.  
  
Just before my son came forth Darya had Jareth take her place to catch the baby. I'll never forget the look on his face when he saw his child slip out into his arms, still covered in birth fluids and blood. He turned to Darya for instructions but she merely smiled.  
  
"Clean him up, Jareth. You've got a son. You'll have to get used to cleaning him sooner or later, and it's best that you do sooner. I have to take care of Sarah."  
  
Darya cleaned me up and gave me some medication she brought with her. I had begun to feel spacey by the time Jareth brought my baby boy to me.  
  
I had never seen Jareth cry before that moment. As he handed the screaming infant to me, he had tears streaming down his face. Soon he had begun sobbing.  
  
"Sarah, he's so beautiful. He's so wonderfully beautiful," he managed between sobs. I made room on the edge of the bed for him to sit down while he regained his composure.  
  
"A boy," I said softly. I smiled up at Jareth and accepted his kiss. Not even ten minutes later I fell into an exhausted sleep.   
  
"Jareth, wake up," I whispered. Jareth had fallen asleep in a chair next to the bed. It was dark outside so I assumed we'd been asleep for a quite a long time; Jareth had a kingdom to tend to and I had a son to get to know.  
  
A few moments after he heard his name my husband's beautiful blue eyes opened and stared at me. When he realized I had woke him up he began to fret.  
  
"Are you comfortable? You're not in any pain, are you? Sarah, are you okay? Do you-"  
  
"Jareth, darling, I'm fine."  
  
"Are you sure? I can go get my mother-"  
  
"I'm okay, love. How's the baby?"  
  
He smiled. "Last I saw of him, our mothers had him, ooing and awing over him. Sarah, I've never been happier in all of my life," Jareth said in my ear.  
  
I smiled at my husband and moved over on the bed. "Come and sleep up here. Your back will be hurting before long."  
  
He sat next to me. "Are you sure you have enough room?"  
  
"I'm positive. Now come up here."  
  
He lay down and put his arm around me. His breathing grew steady, and finally I knew he was asleep.  
  
I lay awake for hours after that, thinking about us. I had never seen such fear in Jareth's eyes as I did during my labor, and he had never acted so concerned about me as he had during that time. I realized that it was things like that that made me love him so much.  
  
While I lay awake Jareth's mother looked in on us. When she realized I was awake still she came in to talk.  
  
"You've got a beautiful little boy, Sarah. He's a darling."  
  
I couldn't help but smile. "Your little boy is beautiful and darling too, Lady Darya."  
  
She chuckled. "I always thought so, but then again, I'm biased. I was worried about him for a while. He just... well, let's just say he took after his father's brother there for a little while. Byron wasn't exactly my first choice of a man for my son to take after."  
  
I sat up. "Who was Byron? Jareth's never mentioned him."  
  
She sat in the chair by my bed. "Byron was Jareth's uncle, the younger brother of his father. Byron was a good boy, when he was younger, but as he got older he grew rebellious. He resented the fact that Damon was the Goblin King. So, he showed himself. He did everything within his power to make life miserable for Damon. It was because of Byron that my marriage to Damon finally fell apart."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Darya reached for my left hand and played with the wedding band Jareth had placed there. She brought my hand to her lips and kissed it before going on. "Like I said, Byron made Damon's life miserable. Damon would go into fits of rage. That's what finally made me leave, was the tantrums he'd throw. I knew he was angry with his brother, and not at me, but I got tired of being in the way when he'd get mad. Finally, I had enough. I told him I was going to live with his sister, and I did. I was happy with her, although I missed Damon."  
  
I glanced down at my husband, suddenly glad he was there beside me. My heart broke for Darya and for Jareth, who had suffered the loss of his beloved mother because of his uncle.  
  
"Darya, what happened to Byron? Where is he now?"  
  
She smiled to herself. "Eventually Damon did something he should have done sooner. He exiled Byron to your world. There, Byron discovered sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. He buried himself in them, let them take over what life he had left. They were really all he was suited for from the beginning, now that I think about it. He died of an overdose just before Jareth began searching for a wife, in what you'd call 'the early 80s'. I wish things had turned out differently for him, but they didn't." She rubbed her thumb over the back of my hand gently. I sighed softly.  
  
"What about Jareth? Weren't you worried that his father would hurt him?"  
  
She laughed softly again. "That's one thing I could say for Damon. Even though I got in the way sometimes, he never once let his anger come between him and his love for his son. He never, even in his worst fits, hurt Jareth. It was his fear of hurting his son that made him leave. He went into the forests, to a place I'd been to only once. He lives there now, with one servant."  
  
"Why didn't you go back to him?"  
  
"I tried. He said he was sorry that he hurt me and that he'd frightened me away. He said I was the best thing that ever happened to him, and that he couldn't take the chance of hurting me again. When I argued he told me he wanted me gone by morning. I left, and I haven't been back."  
  
I nodded. Jareth stirred, so I laid back down beside him. In his sleep he threw an arm around me and snuggled close. Darya kissed our foreheads and whispered to me, "Go back to sleep, dearest. We'll have more time to talk in the morning. For now, bask in the presence of the man you love. Good night."  
  
"Good night," I whispered back. It was still a while before I fell asleep, but now I thought about how much I appreciated Jareth and his family. I also determined I was going to go find his father and bring him home. 


End file.
